Cheers

As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:36, 37, 39, 40 NLT)

This comes from the reading many of our churches would have reflected on this past Sunday, Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. I touched on this in my sermon this past Sunday.

But what is quoted above is interesting to read. The Pharisees, feeling afraid or threatened by the crowd and their cheers, tell Jesus to silence them.

And the response Jesus gives is extraordinary. If the people were silent, then the stones would be cheering.

What a strong message to send to the Pharisees. Jesus is about to do something so great even nature itself cheers his actions.

The love of God is so great, His sacrifice so significant, nothing can ignore it.

Jesus has come to change the world. Not exactly as those who lined the road predicted because they couldn’t know. But he changed the world by showing God’s immense love and mercy by giving of himself on the cross so we can be changed.